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Constantly! I write for all sorts of audiences, each with its own
reading level and focus. My job is to impart information. If I write
over people's heads, or in jargon they don't understand, I haven't done
my job. I stop short of writing material that makes my teeth hurt, but I
must always consider how the reader will understand and interpret what
I've written. In some cases, failure to speak the reader's language
could have enormous negative consequences. We walk a tightrope between
being keepers of the flame, so to speak, i.e., keeping correct grammar
and usage alive, and understanding that language is a living thing,
subject to change. Like it or not, in the real world words are defined
by consensus.
OK, I feel better. Next?
Tracy Boyington wrote:
>
Is anyone else occasionally caught between the "correct" way and the
effective way to communicate?
